The Western Nebraska Community College baseball team dropped a doubleheader to Otero College Saturday at Cleveland Field in key Empire Conference contests.

                In the first game, Otero scored nine runs in the first four innings and went on for the 14-3 win in six innings. The second game saw Otero hold WNCC scoreless until the ninth inning, but at the same time plated nine times for the 9-2 win.

                The two teams will be back at it again on Sunday with first pitch slated for 12 p.m. at Cleveland Field.

                The two losses drop WNCC to second in the Empire Conference at 11-3 while Southeast, who defeated Lamar twice on Saturday, takes over the top spot at 12-2. McCook is right behind the Cougars at 10-4 while Otero is 8-6.
                The first game started strong as each team scored once in the first inning. Otero's was a home run while the Cougar's run was manufactured. Dylan Harris led off with a walk followed by Kensei Oikawa getting a single. Harris came in to score on a fielder's choice hit by Bryce Peterson.

                After that, the Rattlers plated two in the second, one in the third and five runs each in the fourth and sixth innings to take a 14-1 lead. WNCC tried to make a comeback in the sixth to extend the game. Oikawa led off with a walk and then Shintaro Inoue was hit by a pitch. Oikawa scored on a Peterson double while Inoue scored on a Tyler Easter single. But, that was all they could get in.

                WNCC was outhit in the contest 14-4. Peterson had the only extra base hit with a double and two RBIs. Oikawa, Easter, and Ryan Platt had the other hits.

                The second game saw the Cougars get behind the 8-ball early as Otero plated one in the first and then added three runs in the third and fourth innings for a 7-0 lead.

                WNCC did hold Otero scorless in the next four innings, but at the same time, the Cougars couldn't string together hits to get a run across. Otero plated two more in the ninth for a 9-0 lead. That was when WNCC scored as Ashton Ross slammed a 2-run home run but that was all the  Cougars could muster.

                WNCC was outhit 9-6 in the contest as six different players had a hit. Ross had the only extra base hit with a home run.

                Both pitching staffs kept the other team in check. The Otero pitchers had nine strikeouts and walked three while the Cougars pitchers, Adrian Short and Gus Allred, struck out eight and had just two walks.

Game 1
Otero                    121 505 – 14 14 0
WNCC                 100 002 – 3 4 1
LP – Hunter McCollum.
2B – Bryce Peterson.

Game 2
Otero                    103 300 002 – 9 9 0
WNCC                 000 000 002 – 2 6 3
LP – Adrian Short.
HR – Ashton Ross.